THE END OF EQUINE INFLUENZA - Where to from here?

As we emerge on the other side of the Equine Influenza
(EI) outbreak, the biggest crisis the equine community
has ever had to face, horse owners are now presented with new challenges.

Since August 2007 when the first cases of the virus were diagnosed in NSW and then Queensland, equestrian activity and the movement of horses has ceased completely in some states and continued in others with restrictions and the introduction of strict bio security procedures, as the authorities and the horse community worked together initially to stop the spread of the highly infectious virus and then to work towards eradication.

The announcement, by the National Management Group for EI on the 14th of March, that Australia was now provisionally free of EI and it expects to be able to declare the emergency over on the 30th June, was welcomed by everyone involved.
Active surveillance in New South Wales and Queensland has found no new infected horses since the 9th December in NSW and the 23rd December in Queensland.
Continuing surveillance and the cessation of vaccinations by the 30th June will assist in the recognition of Australia as being EI free under the international animal health rules.
The World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) requires that Australia maintains an effective surveillance system for EI so a disease-free status can be confirmed if no cases are found for 12 months. If no cases are identified, Australia can be officially recognised as EI-free by the OIE as of the 25th December 2008.
Restrictions on horse movements have been amended in NSW and Qld and it is anticipated the last ‘green’ zones should change to ‘white’ on the 30th June, bringing both states into the same zones status as the rest of Australia.

As the emergency situation changes, the industry is closely following the Callinan Commission of Inquiry into the EI outbreak and welcomed the Rudd Government’s announcement that debate on legislation relating to the cost of emergency disease outbreaks will be postponed until after the Callinan Inquiry has reported its findings.

Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said in a press release “Until this legislation is passed, the horse industry is unable to join the agreement, meaning there could be a slower, more costly and less effective response to a future disease outbreak. However, I am also aware that there is a significant level of misinformation about the purpose of the legislation, which is causing concern among many horse owners.”
With the Australian Horse Industry Council (AHIC) wishing to join the important Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement, established in 2002, they had been looking for ways to formulate an effective levy for the past 10 years. The levy would only be enacted in the event of just such a disease as EI occurring.
Originally, this levy was intended to be on horse shoes, and many other options have since been suggested, however, unlike other livestock industries nothing has yet been found that covers all horses within the industry.
There are a number of draft levy Bills currently before the Federal Parliament. The AHIC is currently consulting with its members and the broader horse community to determine their responses to the details contained in these bills.
After years of industry consultation, the AHIC supports the concept of the imposition of an industry levy to help fund emergency disease responses. However, while it is appropriate in principle to have industry pay for a response to an exotic disease, this process must be equitable and fair in its implementation.

REPAYMENT OBLIGATION
EI was classified as a Category Four disease, which means the Horse Industries repayment obligations are 80% of the costs and the government covers the remaining 20%. Cost sharing is an issue that will increase the divide between racing and performance horse sectors as the well organised racing industry received the major share of the benefits but the non-racing breeding sector is expected to pay 80% of the 80% response bill. Performance horse owners in the green zone were frustrated and outraged that Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds on neighbouring properties received vaccinations while their own animals were ignored. As one such owner commented “cost sharing is fair when the benefits are shared also.’
AHIC Opposed to paying $100,000,000 million Bill
In relation to the current EI outbreak, the Board of the AHIC at its meeting on the 27th February, unanimously agreed that it was opposed to horse owners paying the $100 million bill for the current EI outbreak. The AHIC has been involved in the Callinan Inquiry and is awaiting its outcomes. This should provide the basis of any decisions on EI.
Emotions continue to run high with rumours of a levy of over $100 per horse being imposed on all those with registered horses, as the government now seeks to recover the cost of mounting the defence against the spread of the disease. Those hit heavily already are reeling at the prospect of receiving yet another blow to their finances and ultimately their lifestyle.
Discussion on the levy being imposed only on all registered horses will mean a small percentage of horse owners will be paying. The overwhelming response from horse owners has been that if the levy is around the rumoured $100 per horse then they will not be registering their horses. No registration means no competing in most instances therefore the impact on the horse industry- already hard hit by EI - will be a continual decline instead of the anticipated early recovery.
A requirement by government for all horses to be registered will prove difficult, unpopular and costly.

LEVY FOR THE FUTURE
A levy is definitely needed to protect against future diseases but discussion is being clouded by the recent outbreak. No-one wants to pay for the EI outbreak because horse owners generally believe that Australian Quarantine and Inspection Services (AQIS) will ultimately be found responsible.
Apportioning blame for the cause of the outbreak is one thing, and while it is hoped that the outcomes of the Callinan Inquiry will significantly affect the obligation to repay the cost of EI, consideration should be given to the potential ramifications if the horse industry does not contribute to costs associated with EI management and containment.
Deadly Outbreak IN SA
What will be the situation - re government funding - if the industry does not pay and Australia has an outbreak of the exotic disease African Horse Sickness?
Currently, all horse movements in the Western Cape province of South Africa have been halted following an outbreak of African Horse Sickness in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. African Horse Sickness is a variant of the Bluetongue virus of sheep, which is principally carried and transmitted to horses by Culicoides species midges.
Characterised by clinical signs and lesions associated with respiratory and circulatory impairment, up to 90% of infected horses die, and there is no efficient treatment.
The current movement embargo was initiated to protect horses about to be exported.
Accepting that we have all learnt something valuable from EI, in both bio-security measures and containment, as well as how to endure financial hardship, we also learnt just how quickly a disease can travel in a very short time. The question must be asked therefore, when knowing all this, are we prepared to risk the possibility of having a deadly disease in Australia without the back up ‘insurance’ of expertise and financial input from the government?
Exporting
Conditions for the reopening of Australia’s export market have been negotiated with Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Iran, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Macau has provide amended conditions for the importation of horses and the Philippines have agreed to conditions for horses purchased at some of the major Thoroughbred sales.
The United States, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland and the Republic of Korea continue to import horses from Australia in accordance with conditions in place prior to the outbreak.
Vaccination
Racing is calling for ongoing vaccinations against EI as an insurance policy to protect against future outbreaks but the rest of the horse industry believe there is no need to continue vaccinating in regard to the current outbreak. The belief is that the disease has been eradicated therefore there is no need to vaccinate against it.
An important point to make in the argument against vaccination is that the vaccines will reduce the symptoms but are not necessarily effective against preventing infection therefore the disease can spread amongst the vaccinated population and we would not know it was there. This is exactly what happened at Eastern Creek. Horses arriving or departing from Australia have always been vaccinated against a number of diseases including EI.
Life with vaccinations would be vastly more complicated than life without. Outbreaks still occur amongst vaccinated populations in other countries causing disruption to competition and horse related industry. One could ask the question as to whether vaccination could actually cause complacency towards the disease.
The cost of vaccinations alone would be crippling for many sections of the horse industry.
There is also the question of which vaccine to use. EI, like the human strains of influenza, mutate and while the vaccine used in this outbreak was appropriate in that instance, it is unlikely that it would be the right one in the future.
Vaccination or not, what is needed are systems for the prevention of other outbreaks and a capacity for rapid response to confine disease should they occur.
Government funding
In March, Federal Parliament approved a $1 billion emergency funding package for drought - stricken farmers and those affected by equine influenza.
Tony Burke has said that while waiting for results of the Calinan Inquiry the government will continue to fully fund assistance measures, consistent with guidelines, including Business Assistance Grants, the Commercial Horse Assistance Payment Scheme, the wage supplement and grants for non-profit community groups.
The package includes $691.3 million to reimburse the states and territories for funds they spent fighting EI, most of which will be recovered from industry. There was also $255.7 million for financial aid to individuals and businesses in the horse industry following the equine outbreak.
Mark Freemantle from the Queensland Performance & Pleasure Horse Industry (QPPHI) has this to say: “Now to the future, and what a fantastic, unique opportunity the equine industry has before it right now. The entire equine industry must now become united and positive – and join together as never before.”